Todd Staples - Candidate For Lieutenant Governor of Texas

After strong encouragement from friends and supporters statewide, Todd Staples announced his intention to run for Lieutenant Governor in 2014 with Texas legend Nolan Ryan as his Statewide Chairman.

Staples is one of Texas’ youngest statewide Republican leaders. In addition to his current statewide post as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, Staples has served as Mayor Pro Tem of his local city council, as a State Representative and as a Texas State Senator.

Consistently rated one of Texas’ top conservatives in the Texas legislature, Todd served as chair of the Republican Caucus, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Governors Bush and Perry to pass record setting tax breaks, helped pass landmark lawsuit abuse reform, and sponsored and helped pass a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between one man and one woman.

As Commissioner of Agriculture, Staples fought the job-killing policies of Obama’s EPA. Staples sued the Obama EPA numerous times in order to stop burdensome regulations that would eliminate thousands of Texas jobs.

Staples has also championed private property owner rights including passage of a 2009 state constitutional amendment protecting homeowners and landowners from eminent domain abuses. He created an online website petition - www.protectyourhomeandland.com- to promote passage of SB 18, eminent domain reform. Over 7,500 Texans have signed the petition and Governor Rick Perry signed the legislation into law.

Staples also challenged the Obama Administration to allocate adequate resources to secure the Texas border from the life-threatening dangers from drug dealers and human smugglers crossing Texas soil. While federal leaders repeatedly deny the threat and daily violence, Staples is documenting the dangers Texas farmers and ranchers face along the border. For his efforts, Todd has been recognized at the state and national level as an emerging national leader on protecting the Texas border.

A former rancher and businessman, Todd graduated with honors from Texas A&M with a degree in Agricultural Economics. Todd and his wife, Janet, have four children and three grandchildren. Palestine, Texas is their home, and Todd has served as deacon at his local church, Norwood Heights Baptist Church, for many years.

AGREE - A) Use DPS or Texas State Guard to assist in protecting the border and providing resources to Sheriffs along the border.AGREE - B) Support state legislative efforts or local ballot initiatives to repeal all sanctuary/safety zones in the State of Texas.AGREE - C) Companies should be at risk of losing business licenses for failing to properly identify lawful employees using E-Verify or similar resource.AGREE - D) Need to implement the re-introduction of the teaching of the trades in our public schools.AGREE - E) Require use of E-Verify or similar resource as a condition for a contract with a state or local governmental entity.AGREE - F) Use 10th Amendment powers to limit the use of executive orders by the President to fully align with the U.S. Constitution.